Die Stellung der Sprache der Pahlavi-Übersetzung des Avesta Innerhalb des Mittelpersischen

Abstract

The Pahlavi translation of the Avesta was probably written at some uncertain time before its definitive redaction in the 6th century. If this were true, the Pahlavi translation would be the oldest work of the Pahlavi literature. In this paper the author tries to check if this fact is reflected in the language of the translation. He arrives to the conclusion that the language of this translation represents a stage which is to be compared with that of the Manichaean and Inscriptional Middle Persian and of the Pahlavi Psalter. This stage is also older than the Book-Pahlavi, and of the author names it "Old Pahalavi". Its main characteristics are: 1. the conservation of almost all persons of the subjunctive, whereas in Book-Pahlavi only the 3rd sg. and pl. remain; 2. the preservation of the distinction between the direct case and the oblique case of the 1st p.sg-pronoun, the nouns of relationship and in the plural of all nouns.